Kenneth Douglas WHITTAM

Badge Number: S9622, Sub Branch: Burnside
S9622

WHITTAM, Kenneth Douglas

Service Number: 35203
Enlisted: 26 September 1916
Last Rank: Gunner
Last Unit: 5th Field Artillery Brigade
Born: Kensington, South Australia, 5 May 1897
Home Town: Kensington, South Australia
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Clerk
Died: Natural Causes, Adelaide, South Australia, 22 March 1983, aged 85 years
Cemetery: Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia
Cremated
Memorials: Adelaide Fire Underwriters' Association of S.A. WW1 Roll of Honour, Tusmore Burnside District Roll of Honour
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World War 1 Service

26 Sep 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Gunner, 35203, Field Artillery Brigades
9 Nov 1917: Embarked AIF WW1, Gunner, 35203, Field Artillery Brigades, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '4' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Sydney embarkation_ship_number: A15 public_note: ''
8 Aug 1918: Involvement AIF WW1, Gunner, 35203, 5th Field Artillery Brigade , "The Last Hundred Days"
7 Sep 1919: Discharged AIF WW1, Gunner, 35203, 5th Field Artillery Brigade

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Biography contributed by Steve Larkins

Resident at 18 Stirling St TUSMORE SA 5062.  Married to Kath, father of Jeanette and Bob.  Grandfather of Phillip, Beth, Mark, Cheryl, Kathryn and Timothy.   (from RSL Membership cards)

Biography contributed by Saint Ignatius' College

Kenneth Douglas Whittam was born in South Australia, near the parish of Kensington on York Street on the 5th of May 1897.
 
Before Whittam enlisted in the war, he was a clerk, and he had previous military service serving as a senior cadet for 3 years.
Whittam enlisted on 26th September 1916 at the age of 19 years and 3 months. As Whittam was under the age of 21, his mother Kate (née Mitchell) gave written permission for him to join the Australian Imperial Force. His father, Joshua Whittam was listed as his next-of-kin.
 
Whittam embarked on the 9th of November 1917 on the HMAT Port Sydney A15 from Melbourne. The ship's officers scheduled challenging training exercises and drills for the soldiers. They were also required to clean the deck, do their laundry, and perform other chores. On the ship, many soldiers felt seasick and were isolated from other people on board the ship. To cure the soldier's boredom many sports carnivals were held, such as pillow fights, boxing matches, and wheelbarrow races.

He disembarked at Southampton, England in late 1917 for further training. Whittam was then moved from the 11th Field Artillery Brigade to the 5th Field Artillery Brigade. He fought in France from May 1918 until the end of the war. He returned to Australia on the Karmala on the 14th of August 1919.
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After Whittam returned from the war and married Kathleen Doris, in 1929 when Kenneth was 32 years old, and Kathleen was 33 years old. They then had a child and called her Jeanette Whittam. He then went on to have six grandchildren, their names were Phillip, Beth, Mark, Cheryl, Kathryn, and Timothy. He also became a resident at 18 Stirling St. Tusmore SA 5062.  
 
He was eligible for both the Victory Medal (Number 21299) and the British War Medal (Number 21918). In 1983, he passed away and a monument at the Clayton Church, on the corner of Portrush Road and The Parade, in Norwood, commemorates his life.
 
 
 
 
 
 

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